Many of you will recall my jubilant posts from around this time last year when Tom and I found the Mint House. We were giddy with anticipation of a yard for homer, a guest room and lack of loud neighbors sharing walls or ceilings with us. We have also found that our little urban spread has provided us plenty of space to indulge the dormant "Little House on the Prairie" aspects of our personalities. For instance, we have been...
Gardening. I know this isn't news to most of you, but the garden plays a central role in our lives now. We must water it daily due to the lack of rain fall and scorching triple digit heat that has beset the region. There is also the weeding, the trellising and staking. But all that work is so worth it. We picked 3 eggplants last week, several handfuls of green beans and our first watermelon! Nothing is better than celebrating Independence Day with a watermelon from your own garden.
Composting. Tom and I fill our one-gallon counter top compost bin, and that gets dumped into our large composter outside on a weekly basis. Not only do we prevent a good deal of our food scraps from going into the landfill, but the amazing soil we produce goes straight back into the garden to feed our plants.
Canning and Preserving. The lack of rain, and amount of time and energy we spend on the garden has inspired us to try and make sure none of goods coming out of the garden go to waste. While Tom is charged with making pesto and preserving our herbs, I have been canning nearly every weekend. The summer preserving started with a batch of spiced beets (which are so amazing on a salad with goat cheese that we are planning a special winter crop of beets so I can put up more jars.) I have also been trying my hand at pickling, with some escabeche-style spicy carrots and a batch of garlic dill cucumber pickles. Last weekend, with several pounds of ripe figs on the trees in our front yard, I took some time to cook up some fig, port and rosemary jam. The rosemary was also from the garden, of course. It tasted amazing, and is going to make a yummy addition to a future cheese tray. I think I will be doing some balsamic pickled figs in the weeks to come, and am contemplating pickled watermelon rind.
Cheese Making. Okay, we haven't actually done this yet, but last week I purchased the book Home Cheese Making, along with a starter cheese making kit. I am going to start with a basic mozzarella soon, but am hoping to experiment with other cheeses as I gain my confidence. You all wouldn't believe how easy cheese making actually is... at least that is what I am telling myself.
Showing posts with label Mint House. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mint House. Show all posts
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
You know what this is?
Day: 580
High Temp: 83F
It's a celebration, bitches!
Okay, so most of you did not expect to click on this post to find me quoting Kanye. But the truth is, this is sort of a celebration. More commonly, one might refer to it as a baby peach. Or perhaps a peachito (okay, melocotonito), or a peachling.
Tom and I have this really sad, scraggly looking tree in the back. When we first saw the Mint House, our landlady told us it was a peach tree, but said she wasn't sure if it had given fruit in the past few years. No surprise, looking at the poor thing. It's only a foot taller than I am, has cracks in the main trunk, and is leaning precariously at a 45 degree angle.
So we weren't sure what we had back there, but we did want to coax it back to life, if possible. It was green and leafy at the end of last summer, and so we watered it when it was active, hoping that would do it some good. Then once we saw buds starting to appear this spring, Tom began feeding it with this great organic seaweed juice. A few weeks later, we had a riot of blossoms, and soon after that, these little almond shaped fuzzy guys were everywhere. Celebration!!
And, do you know what this is....
It's a surprisingly big bowl of culled baby peaches. Apparently culling the tree when the peaches are about this size is good to ensure you have a nice crop of large and sweet fruit, as opposed to a plethora of tiny, hard and bland fruit. So, I did the deed this afternoon. It's hard to say bye to those little guys, but I swear, for each one I pulled off, there were 2-3 other on the tree. And fear not, these little guys will play an important role as compost for the fall garden!
If things continue on this positive path you might just find a jar of homemade Texas peach butter in your stocking next Christmas! Fingers crossed.
High Temp: 83F
It's a celebration, bitches!
Okay, so most of you did not expect to click on this post to find me quoting Kanye. But the truth is, this is sort of a celebration. More commonly, one might refer to it as a baby peach. Or perhaps a peachito (okay, melocotonito), or a peachling.
Tom and I have this really sad, scraggly looking tree in the back. When we first saw the Mint House, our landlady told us it was a peach tree, but said she wasn't sure if it had given fruit in the past few years. No surprise, looking at the poor thing. It's only a foot taller than I am, has cracks in the main trunk, and is leaning precariously at a 45 degree angle.
So we weren't sure what we had back there, but we did want to coax it back to life, if possible. It was green and leafy at the end of last summer, and so we watered it when it was active, hoping that would do it some good. Then once we saw buds starting to appear this spring, Tom began feeding it with this great organic seaweed juice. A few weeks later, we had a riot of blossoms, and soon after that, these little almond shaped fuzzy guys were everywhere. Celebration!!
And, do you know what this is....
It's a surprisingly big bowl of culled baby peaches. Apparently culling the tree when the peaches are about this size is good to ensure you have a nice crop of large and sweet fruit, as opposed to a plethora of tiny, hard and bland fruit. So, I did the deed this afternoon. It's hard to say bye to those little guys, but I swear, for each one I pulled off, there were 2-3 other on the tree. And fear not, these little guys will play an important role as compost for the fall garden!
If things continue on this positive path you might just find a jar of homemade Texas peach butter in your stocking next Christmas! Fingers crossed.
Friday, October 22, 2010
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Day: 433
High Temp: 86F
My garden grows quite well, thank you very much!
On our second weekend at the Mint House, Tom and I planted a garden. There were already some raised beds in our side yard, so we went out and bought plants, seeds and lots of tools, and proceeded to break up the ground, fill the beds with compost and soil, and start planting. There were still boxes that needed unpacking, and pictures that needed hanging, but we were playing in the dirt.
That was 12 weeks ago, and now our garden is really starting to produce (hee hee)! From the very beginning, the serrano chili plant was producing (it was literally filled with serranos within two weeks). But it was just last weekend that some of our first plants in the ground started to bear veggies.
On Sunday, I harvested a big pile of green beans, and one large, beautiful yellow summer squash. These were veggies we grew from seeds, with absolutely no fertilizer except compost, and they are delicious. The green beans went into a shepard's pie for dinner, and my mom (who, along with my dad, was visiting us last weekend) sliced and fried up the squash for an appetizer.
Last night, we pulled two more monster squash out of the garden, and another large bunch of green beans. Tom also had a surprise for me... our cucumbers have started to come in! They have been wild, viney looking plants for weeks now, with pretty yellow cucumber flowers constantly blooming and withering by the dozens. I was convinced that, since we hadn't even seen the start of a cucumber, perhaps it was too hot, or too late or whatever to actually get cucumbers this year. To my utter delight, I was wrong. There are dozens of little cucumberlings out there now! I see homemade pickles and dilly beans in my future!
We were careful to follow the many charts that suggest what can be planted in August in Austin, and held back some cooler weather seeds which Tom has planted when appropriate in September and October. Mixed lettuces, winter squash, beets and carrots have all gone in the ground in the past few weeks, and are already starting to look good. I am not sure anyone can imagine how excited I am to make a roasted beet salad and serve it over my homegrown mixed baby greens!
Though I have been pulling my weight with watering, and harvesting, I have to give Tom a huge amount of credit for most of the planting, weeding and general TLC. He absolutely loves being in the garden, and I have to say, the only thing that makes me happier than our home grown veggies is the peace and joy he has been getting from that little plot of land.
High Temp: 86F
My garden grows quite well, thank you very much!
On our second weekend at the Mint House, Tom and I planted a garden. There were already some raised beds in our side yard, so we went out and bought plants, seeds and lots of tools, and proceeded to break up the ground, fill the beds with compost and soil, and start planting. There were still boxes that needed unpacking, and pictures that needed hanging, but we were playing in the dirt.
That was 12 weeks ago, and now our garden is really starting to produce (hee hee)! From the very beginning, the serrano chili plant was producing (it was literally filled with serranos within two weeks). But it was just last weekend that some of our first plants in the ground started to bear veggies.
 |
| Serranos ripening on the vine! |
On Sunday, I harvested a big pile of green beans, and one large, beautiful yellow summer squash. These were veggies we grew from seeds, with absolutely no fertilizer except compost, and they are delicious. The green beans went into a shepard's pie for dinner, and my mom (who, along with my dad, was visiting us last weekend) sliced and fried up the squash for an appetizer.
 |
| Our first big harvest. Summer squash and green beans displayed on our pretty new china. |
Last night, we pulled two more monster squash out of the garden, and another large bunch of green beans. Tom also had a surprise for me... our cucumbers have started to come in! They have been wild, viney looking plants for weeks now, with pretty yellow cucumber flowers constantly blooming and withering by the dozens. I was convinced that, since we hadn't even seen the start of a cucumber, perhaps it was too hot, or too late or whatever to actually get cucumbers this year. To my utter delight, I was wrong. There are dozens of little cucumberlings out there now! I see homemade pickles and dilly beans in my future!
 |
| One of many cucumberlings. |
We were careful to follow the many charts that suggest what can be planted in August in Austin, and held back some cooler weather seeds which Tom has planted when appropriate in September and October. Mixed lettuces, winter squash, beets and carrots have all gone in the ground in the past few weeks, and are already starting to look good. I am not sure anyone can imagine how excited I am to make a roasted beet salad and serve it over my homegrown mixed baby greens!
 |
| Many varieties of lettuce and greens coming in! |
Though I have been pulling my weight with watering, and harvesting, I have to give Tom a huge amount of credit for most of the planting, weeding and general TLC. He absolutely loves being in the garden, and I have to say, the only thing that makes me happier than our home grown veggies is the peace and joy he has been getting from that little plot of land.
Friday, September 10, 2010
I want to Blog...
Day: 391
High Temp: 92F
Really, I do! But I just can't seem to get it done. With the wedding less than a month away, it feels like I am spending most of my free time sleeping, emailing people who haven't responded to our invitation, or getting some other aspect of the wedding ready.
I don't want you to feel like I am ignoring you. You read what I write (even if it is boring and inane) and you sometimes even comment too. It's so great. And by me not blogging, or worse, submitting this sad and lame excuse for a blog, I feel like I am letting you all down (cause I know how much you count on my blog to brighten your week.)
I haven't even posted the photos of the Mint House yet! And I know you want to hear all about the HUGE tree that Hermine knocked over in our yard on Tuesday, demolishing our compost pile, but leaving our vegetable garden (and thankfully our house) unscathed. There are also the two restaurants Tom and I recently tried in our new neighborhood that I want to tell you about, and our recent trip to St. Louis which included an amazing and authentic Crawfish Boil.
I am going to do my best over the next few weeks, but please forgive me if the Mod Podge, chalk board paint and floral wire hijack my attention.
PS- I am getting married exactly 30 days from today!!
High Temp: 92F
Really, I do! But I just can't seem to get it done. With the wedding less than a month away, it feels like I am spending most of my free time sleeping, emailing people who haven't responded to our invitation, or getting some other aspect of the wedding ready.
I don't want you to feel like I am ignoring you. You read what I write (even if it is boring and inane) and you sometimes even comment too. It's so great. And by me not blogging, or worse, submitting this sad and lame excuse for a blog, I feel like I am letting you all down (cause I know how much you count on my blog to brighten your week.)
I haven't even posted the photos of the Mint House yet! And I know you want to hear all about the HUGE tree that Hermine knocked over in our yard on Tuesday, demolishing our compost pile, but leaving our vegetable garden (and thankfully our house) unscathed. There are also the two restaurants Tom and I recently tried in our new neighborhood that I want to tell you about, and our recent trip to St. Louis which included an amazing and authentic Crawfish Boil.
I am going to do my best over the next few weeks, but please forgive me if the Mod Podge, chalk board paint and floral wire hijack my attention.
PS- I am getting married exactly 30 days from today!!
Friday, August 6, 2010
What a Family Looks Like
Day: 356
High Temp: 102
I have been thinking so much about family, last names, home and marriage in the past few weeks. Tom and I are just about 2 months out from our own wedding day, and these things are just a constant point of conversation.
We are in a house now, which makes us feel more grown up, and like a family. I cannot explain why. But it does. And I cannot tell you how happy I am that we will come home after our wedding to this little house. Not an apartment, but a house. We don't own it, and it is highly likely that at some point (perhaps if/when we leave Austin) we will find ourselves again in an apartment. But for now, it's a house, and that feels like a real change.
We are also still debating the last name thing. It's a conversation we have been having for many years now, and for the first time this week Tom told me he wants us to have the same last name. It's old-fashioned, but really sweet. And it seems like with how far women and society have come in terms of feminism, us ladies don't need to hold on to our own last names to hold on to our identities. At least that is how I am starting to feel. And as I sat there talking with Tom, looking at him as he said he wanted us to share a last name, I realized that this was one thing I was happy to do for him. So now I am settling into the idea that come October 9 I will no longer be known as Lindsey Becker. Crazy!
The whole inspiration for this little post was this most amazing portrait of a family that I came across today on Marvelous Kiddo by way of the fabulous Snippet & Ink. Talk about discovering what a family looks like!
High Temp: 102
I have been thinking so much about family, last names, home and marriage in the past few weeks. Tom and I are just about 2 months out from our own wedding day, and these things are just a constant point of conversation.
We are in a house now, which makes us feel more grown up, and like a family. I cannot explain why. But it does. And I cannot tell you how happy I am that we will come home after our wedding to this little house. Not an apartment, but a house. We don't own it, and it is highly likely that at some point (perhaps if/when we leave Austin) we will find ourselves again in an apartment. But for now, it's a house, and that feels like a real change.
We are also still debating the last name thing. It's a conversation we have been having for many years now, and for the first time this week Tom told me he wants us to have the same last name. It's old-fashioned, but really sweet. And it seems like with how far women and society have come in terms of feminism, us ladies don't need to hold on to our own last names to hold on to our identities. At least that is how I am starting to feel. And as I sat there talking with Tom, looking at him as he said he wanted us to share a last name, I realized that this was one thing I was happy to do for him. So now I am settling into the idea that come October 9 I will no longer be known as Lindsey Becker. Crazy!
The whole inspiration for this little post was this most amazing portrait of a family that I came across today on Marvelous Kiddo by way of the fabulous Snippet & Ink. Talk about discovering what a family looks like!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Adios South Austin Commute
Day: 349
High Temp: 97F
Yes, I am sorry. ANOTHER post about moving. I feel like I have been obsessing about moving since we got here a year ago, but this probably is not my last moving-related blog entry. I still don't have any pictures of the cute new Mint House to post. Did I mention the Mint House has dark teal trim? Only in Austin...
I think I have joked before that it doesn't take any longer than 10 minutes to get from any one point to any other point within the ACL (that is Austin City Limits to those of you not in the know). That may be an understatement, as my daily commute to campus, via Elly, is at least twice that. It's a fairly easy and fast 20 minutes in the mornings (what, no one else but me has to be in the office by 8am??) By 5:20 in the afternoon, when I hit the intersection at Congress and Cesar Chavez, there is a full-blown, mini-urban traffic jam situation happening. I always sit through at least 4 light cycles at that intersection before I am able to make my left turn. On a normal traffic day, it takes me about 30 minutes to drive the 3 miles home.
By most urban standards, it's probably not that bad. For Austin, it seems kind of ridiculous. The whole problem is that I have to drive THROUGH downtown to get to campus.
Well ladies and gents, after today's commute, that will no longer be true. You see, we are moving north of campus, and that means I only have to drive through quiet residential neighborhoods to get to campus! I drove the new commute last night afterwork because I had to go pick up a package at the Mint House. I was in Elly by 5:12, and pulling into our new driveway by 5:19. I kid you not, in what should have been the full throes of rush hour, it took me only 7 minutes to get home. In truth, the new house is only .2 miles closer to campus than our current place. But not having to drive through downtown makes all the difference.
There are lots of things I will miss about South Austin, mainly this, this and this. However, spending less time in my car every day, and more time with Tom and the Home-doggy are worth being farther from my favorite tacos. I can always visit those places on a quiet Sunday afternoon.
High Temp: 97F
Yes, I am sorry. ANOTHER post about moving. I feel like I have been obsessing about moving since we got here a year ago, but this probably is not my last moving-related blog entry. I still don't have any pictures of the cute new Mint House to post. Did I mention the Mint House has dark teal trim? Only in Austin...
I think I have joked before that it doesn't take any longer than 10 minutes to get from any one point to any other point within the ACL (that is Austin City Limits to those of you not in the know). That may be an understatement, as my daily commute to campus, via Elly, is at least twice that. It's a fairly easy and fast 20 minutes in the mornings (what, no one else but me has to be in the office by 8am??) By 5:20 in the afternoon, when I hit the intersection at Congress and Cesar Chavez, there is a full-blown, mini-urban traffic jam situation happening. I always sit through at least 4 light cycles at that intersection before I am able to make my left turn. On a normal traffic day, it takes me about 30 minutes to drive the 3 miles home.
By most urban standards, it's probably not that bad. For Austin, it seems kind of ridiculous. The whole problem is that I have to drive THROUGH downtown to get to campus.
Well ladies and gents, after today's commute, that will no longer be true. You see, we are moving north of campus, and that means I only have to drive through quiet residential neighborhoods to get to campus! I drove the new commute last night afterwork because I had to go pick up a package at the Mint House. I was in Elly by 5:12, and pulling into our new driveway by 5:19. I kid you not, in what should have been the full throes of rush hour, it took me only 7 minutes to get home. In truth, the new house is only .2 miles closer to campus than our current place. But not having to drive through downtown makes all the difference.
There are lots of things I will miss about South Austin, mainly this, this and this. However, spending less time in my car every day, and more time with Tom and the Home-doggy are worth being farther from my favorite tacos. I can always visit those places on a quiet Sunday afternoon.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Time Flies
Day: 345
High Temp: 93F
Good lord, where did the last two weeks go!? I was shocked to see that I haven't posted anything since July 12. Part of this time lapse can surely be accounted for by the fact that Tom was out of town all last week. This meant not only did I have to (once again this month) play single mom to Homer, but I spent much of my free time running errands, packing and cleaning, all in preparation for our move next weekend.
It seems like yesterday that Tom and I got the good news from our friends Zach and Adrienne that they would be moving here at the end of the summer. Guess what, they get here NEXT weekend! And, I am getting married in two months. Forget the last two weeks, where the heck did my 17 month engagement go?
So here is the deal, Tom and I are leaping our way closer to that year-anniversary mark, and despite time flying, I have had the opportunity (and inspiration) to think about where I am at, where I was a year ago, and all the excitement to come this year. It has been a really rough year in a lot of ways. There was the 4 month stint of unemployment, the constant anxiety about my inability to make adult friends here, my frustrations with my living situation and just the general sense of feeling on the outside of life, while everyone else around me seem to be living in it.
I have already told you how excited I am to be moving into a real house (with a yard, no one above me, vegetable garden, etc!!!) With this exciting event impending, I have made up my mind about one thing: I will embrace Texas for all that it is, the good and the bad.
Today, I say, NO MORE moping. I am going to embrace this change of living situation as an opportunity for an attitude adjustment. When my job is boring me to tears, I will just remind myself of the anxiety of having to pay rent several months into unemployment. When I start to feel like a looser for my lack of friends in Texas, I will remember how much better it can be to have one close friend you can talk about anything with than many acquaintances you can't really relate to. When I am missing the snow of the midwest, I will just think of how lucky I am to not have to walk my dog in January wearing a sleeping bag coat, galoshes, mittens a stocking cap AND earmuffs. Missing those fall leaves? Well, there is lettuce in the garden, and broccoli, and it's November!
Tom and I are getting married in two months, and just 3 months after that I turn thirty. I have spent the last year of my life feeling sorry for myself and I am tired of it. I wished away this last year, anxious to get to the wedding, to get the heck out of the lame apartment and to be at a place where I just feel settled. I am now realizing that settled is just as much a state of mind as it is time gone by. I am there, or at least I will try my hardest to be.
I saw a bumper sticker in the Hobby Lobby parking lot on Saturday that said, "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as quick as I could!" And I just thought to myself, no matter how positive I am going to be about this whole Texas thing, I am not sure I will every be that person. I am just hoping for, "I wasn't born in Texas, but I live here now and that's not so bad!"
High Temp: 93F
Good lord, where did the last two weeks go!? I was shocked to see that I haven't posted anything since July 12. Part of this time lapse can surely be accounted for by the fact that Tom was out of town all last week. This meant not only did I have to (once again this month) play single mom to Homer, but I spent much of my free time running errands, packing and cleaning, all in preparation for our move next weekend.
It seems like yesterday that Tom and I got the good news from our friends Zach and Adrienne that they would be moving here at the end of the summer. Guess what, they get here NEXT weekend! And, I am getting married in two months. Forget the last two weeks, where the heck did my 17 month engagement go?
So here is the deal, Tom and I are leaping our way closer to that year-anniversary mark, and despite time flying, I have had the opportunity (and inspiration) to think about where I am at, where I was a year ago, and all the excitement to come this year. It has been a really rough year in a lot of ways. There was the 4 month stint of unemployment, the constant anxiety about my inability to make adult friends here, my frustrations with my living situation and just the general sense of feeling on the outside of life, while everyone else around me seem to be living in it.
I have already told you how excited I am to be moving into a real house (with a yard, no one above me, vegetable garden, etc!!!) With this exciting event impending, I have made up my mind about one thing: I will embrace Texas for all that it is, the good and the bad.
Today, I say, NO MORE moping. I am going to embrace this change of living situation as an opportunity for an attitude adjustment. When my job is boring me to tears, I will just remind myself of the anxiety of having to pay rent several months into unemployment. When I start to feel like a looser for my lack of friends in Texas, I will remember how much better it can be to have one close friend you can talk about anything with than many acquaintances you can't really relate to. When I am missing the snow of the midwest, I will just think of how lucky I am to not have to walk my dog in January wearing a sleeping bag coat, galoshes, mittens a stocking cap AND earmuffs. Missing those fall leaves? Well, there is lettuce in the garden, and broccoli, and it's November!
Tom and I are getting married in two months, and just 3 months after that I turn thirty. I have spent the last year of my life feeling sorry for myself and I am tired of it. I wished away this last year, anxious to get to the wedding, to get the heck out of the lame apartment and to be at a place where I just feel settled. I am now realizing that settled is just as much a state of mind as it is time gone by. I am there, or at least I will try my hardest to be.
I saw a bumper sticker in the Hobby Lobby parking lot on Saturday that said, "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as quick as I could!" And I just thought to myself, no matter how positive I am going to be about this whole Texas thing, I am not sure I will every be that person. I am just hoping for, "I wasn't born in Texas, but I live here now and that's not so bad!"
Monday, July 12, 2010
The Mint House
Day: 331
High Temp: 91F
Is it possible that come August 1, Tom and I will be living the Austin dream? Tom just got a phone call from Mrs. Maylene Bird who told him that she and her husband would like us to rent their too-cute-for-words, mint green 2 bedroom house in the Hyde Park/North Loop neighborhood! I am going to pick up the lease tonight after work. I am so happy, and so relieved that I am near tears right now.
So, what does this mean? Well, there are a lot of unknowns. We have never rented a house before, but I do know there are a lot of things to look forward to and be grateful for. For instance:
-We have just 3 more weekends in our current, little apartment! And because we are going out of town this weekend, that means just two more weekends of the drunk, douche-bag neighbors waking us up in the middle of the night! Also, did I mention no one above us? No one below us! No shared walls with anyone!
-Homer will have a yard! A nice, fenced-in yard to run around, play fetch and chase bugs in!
-We will have a guest room! We have already had five sets of out-of-town visitors since February (how amazing is that?) Now, Tom and I will be able to offer our guests their own space, instead of our aerobed put up in the living room.
-I won't have to leave the comfort of my home to do laundry!!! There is a little utility closet just off the living room, and it is equipped with a washer and dryer that come with the place! I have not experienced such a luxury since moving out of my parents home 11 years ago.
-I will have dinner parties! The kitchen in this house is HUGE, and our dining room table will fit so nicely underneath the adorable little vintage chandelier in there.
-I will have a garden! The house is on one half of a double lot. The owners have a garage/storage building on the back of the other lot, and there is also a raised bed garden. The other lot has it's own fence, but the owners said we can use the garden if we want. That means veggies for us on the other side of the fence from Homer! Did I mention that the other lot also has a fig tree on it? Jam!!!
-Austin Charm! This place is one of a kind, for sure. It was originally two tiny houses that someone in the 1950's moved to this lot and put together as one. The whole outside was re-done, so it looks cohesive, but the interior still has tons of vintage touches from the original houses. Aside from the chandelier mentioned above, the bathroom has an original claw-foot tub, and the whole house has original hardwood floors, nicely refinished. Did I mention the blue cabinets in kitchen and the glass door knobs?
-We will live in a great, safe, neighborhood that puts us even closer to campus than we were before. We are also within a 5 minute walk of: Flight Path Coffee, Foreign & Domestic, The Parlor and a trio of beloved vintage shops: Room Service, Blue Velvet and Hog Wild. And we are within a 5 minute bike ride to the heart of Hyde Park, and a few more great restaurants: Mother's Cafe and Garden, Julio's Cafe and Quack's Bakery!
When Tom and I were planning our move to Austin last summer, we had dreams of renting an affordable house with a yard. Those dreams were soon dashed by a few leasing agents, bad timing and our own lack of understanding of how Austin "works." This year, although we were learning as we went, we were determined to find what so many of our friends here have... A nice little house. I personally think we got even more than we expected, and I am excited to sign the lease, and start making plans to move. And now, I am just curious about when y'all are coming down to visit!
High Temp: 91F
Is it possible that come August 1, Tom and I will be living the Austin dream? Tom just got a phone call from Mrs. Maylene Bird who told him that she and her husband would like us to rent their too-cute-for-words, mint green 2 bedroom house in the Hyde Park/North Loop neighborhood! I am going to pick up the lease tonight after work. I am so happy, and so relieved that I am near tears right now.
So, what does this mean? Well, there are a lot of unknowns. We have never rented a house before, but I do know there are a lot of things to look forward to and be grateful for. For instance:
-We have just 3 more weekends in our current, little apartment! And because we are going out of town this weekend, that means just two more weekends of the drunk, douche-bag neighbors waking us up in the middle of the night! Also, did I mention no one above us? No one below us! No shared walls with anyone!
-Homer will have a yard! A nice, fenced-in yard to run around, play fetch and chase bugs in!
-We will have a guest room! We have already had five sets of out-of-town visitors since February (how amazing is that?) Now, Tom and I will be able to offer our guests their own space, instead of our aerobed put up in the living room.
-I won't have to leave the comfort of my home to do laundry!!! There is a little utility closet just off the living room, and it is equipped with a washer and dryer that come with the place! I have not experienced such a luxury since moving out of my parents home 11 years ago.
-I will have dinner parties! The kitchen in this house is HUGE, and our dining room table will fit so nicely underneath the adorable little vintage chandelier in there.
-I will have a garden! The house is on one half of a double lot. The owners have a garage/storage building on the back of the other lot, and there is also a raised bed garden. The other lot has it's own fence, but the owners said we can use the garden if we want. That means veggies for us on the other side of the fence from Homer! Did I mention that the other lot also has a fig tree on it? Jam!!!
-Austin Charm! This place is one of a kind, for sure. It was originally two tiny houses that someone in the 1950's moved to this lot and put together as one. The whole outside was re-done, so it looks cohesive, but the interior still has tons of vintage touches from the original houses. Aside from the chandelier mentioned above, the bathroom has an original claw-foot tub, and the whole house has original hardwood floors, nicely refinished. Did I mention the blue cabinets in kitchen and the glass door knobs?
-We will live in a great, safe, neighborhood that puts us even closer to campus than we were before. We are also within a 5 minute walk of: Flight Path Coffee, Foreign & Domestic, The Parlor and a trio of beloved vintage shops: Room Service, Blue Velvet and Hog Wild. And we are within a 5 minute bike ride to the heart of Hyde Park, and a few more great restaurants: Mother's Cafe and Garden, Julio's Cafe and Quack's Bakery!
When Tom and I were planning our move to Austin last summer, we had dreams of renting an affordable house with a yard. Those dreams were soon dashed by a few leasing agents, bad timing and our own lack of understanding of how Austin "works." This year, although we were learning as we went, we were determined to find what so many of our friends here have... A nice little house. I personally think we got even more than we expected, and I am excited to sign the lease, and start making plans to move. And now, I am just curious about when y'all are coming down to visit!
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